Mitchell Johnson's recent comments directed at David Warner have left a "sour taste" for many past players, with former Test vice-captain Brad Haddin questioning the personal nature of the attack.
The 42-year-old set the cricket world alight over the weekend, penning a column in The West Australian where he took aim at Warner's spot at the side, labelling the opening batsman as 'arrogant' and 'disrespectful'.
Warner is set to retire at the conclusion of the Test series against Pakistan, with his final game in the Baggy Green expected to come at his home ground in Sydney just after the new year.
But given his checkered past dating back to the 2018 ball-tampering scandal, Johnson doesn't believe the 37-year-old is deserving of a hero's send-off in January and should have been omitted from the squad on recent form.
MORE: Tim Paine weighs in on drama between Johnson, Warner
Brad Haddin questions Mitchell Johnson over 'aggressive attack'
In the latest episode of the Willow Talk podcast, Haddin - who played alongside both men for a number of years at the international level - criticised the stance from Johnson and believes he overstepped the line.
“Mitch’s summary of it was a bit odd and left field," he said.
“I don’t mind past players saying - okay, this is why I wouldn’t have him in the team, this is what I’d look at... but it looked like a bit of an aggressive attack on Davey’s personality, which I don’t think you need.
"You can have an opinion on what you think the team should be, but I don’t like when past players go really hard in a personal angle to the players and it felt a little bit like that to me.
"He attacked David and George [Bailey] on levels you don’t want to see anywhere, to be honest. It left a bit of a bad taste in a few people’s mouths."
Johnson's public condemnation of Warner also included shots at national selector George Bailey, who moved into the role shortly after his playing retirement and has a close relationship with some of the senior members of the squad.
Australian women's star Alyssa Healy also questioned the scathing remarks from Johnson, which have left a lingering black cloud over the upcoming home summer for the men's outfit.
“They played together, they’re mates, they’ve been mates for well over 15 years, played a lot of cricket," she said.
“Then to go bang, really hard on a personal note, there’s obviously some scars there.
"He’s entitled to his opinion, but for me it makes cricket look a little negative, and I’m not a huge fan of that.”
Australia will kick off the Test series against Pakistan on December 14th, before taking on the West Indies in January.
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